Game apparatus or puzzle



v (No Model.)

F. L. PITHIAN. GAME APPARATUS 0R PUZZLE.

Patented Apr. '19, 1892.

' NITED :--STATns GAME-APPA RATUS O R PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 473,217, dated April 19, 11892.

Application filed September 14, 1891. Serial'No. 405,617. (No mmlel-l ments in Game Apparatus or Puzzles, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a game apparatus or puzzle; and it consists of a shallow glasscovered receptacle, a free globule of mercury contained therein, a receiving and dividing device secured to the floor of said receptacle and consisting of upright sides arranged at an angle to each other to forma containingreceptacle with sharp edges and holes or pockets in the floor of the receptacle, the game to be played being a division of the mercury into parts by means of said divider and lodging said parts in turn as divided in the several holes or pockets.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of the apparatus, the quicksilver being shown in one piece in the act of being cut or divided by the mechanical means provided for that purpose. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the line a; a: of Fig. 1, showing the construction of the box or containing-receptacle and the mechanical means provided for dividing the quicksilver. Fig. 3 is a sectional View through the bottom of the box on the line y y of Fig. 1, intended to illustrate the depressions on the floor of the apparatus into which the divided parts of quicksilver are to be deposited.

A represents the top of the box-frame covering a shallow box B, preferably circular in form, closed at the bottom by a floor 0 and at the top by a glass D or other transparent material supported within the frame A, and of shape to conform to that of the box B, so that the floor 0 shall at all times be open to view through the glass. The floor O is provided with a number of depressions (shown at l 2 3 4 in the drawings) intended to illustrate ball-holders upon the end of sticks or handles a, resting upon the nose of the figure drawn upon the floor O, and in this case representing a Japanese juggler. Other depres= sions 5 and 6 are made in the floor C of the apparatus,the former within the open palm of the hand of the'j uggler andthe latter on the side of the Japanese sunshade, the stick or handle of which is shown as contained in the other hand of the juggler. A small quantity of quicksilver F, sufficient only in volume to fill the aggregate area of the several depressions in the floor, is placed within the inclosure. v

Upon the side of the sunshade is supported a dividing device, for the construction of which a piece of stiff paper or card-board may be used, glued to the floor O of the appara tus, and this device consists of a small piece of card-board or other material creased and the sides bent up at an angle to each other in the form of the letter L, each side being creased about the center longitudinally, the paper on one sideof the crease being glued to the iioor G, and the other side standing upright at right angles thereto. Preferably I construct this divider G H by creasing it at h, the short end H being bent around at right angles with the long end G.

The object of the game is to bring the ball of quicksilver to the position shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, and to cut off a small piece thereof by means of the dividing device described and then lodge this small piece in the ball-holder 1, apparently supported by the stick a on the nose of the juggler. Then repeating the operation for Nos. 2, 3, 4, 6 and finally lodging the remainder of the quicksilver in the depression shown at 5, so as it will appear to have been caught in the hand of the juggler at that point. The fluid character of the quicksilver renders the direction of its movements as aforesaid somewhat difficult, but interesting, the movement of the quicksilver upon the board or floor C of the apparatus being brought about by tilting the apparatus held by its corners in the hands of the operator or person playing the game. It is obvious that the inclosed receptacle need not be circular in form, though I prefer that shape as not affording too many obstacles'to the free movement of the quicksilver, and it is equally obvious that other illustrations than that of a Japanese juggler or a J apanese sunshade may be substituted for that shown, the essence of the game apparatus or puzzle being the provision in ashallow glass- ICO covered receptacle containing a free globule of mercury and having on the floor of said receptacle pockets or holes of a receiving and dividing device secured to the floor of said receptacle and consisting of upright sides arranged at an angle to each other to form a containing device with sharp edges, whereby the contained quicksilver may be cut or divided into a number of parts corresponding to the number of depressions, each part being in turn lodged Within said depressions in due order to constitute a game or puzzle.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A game apparatus or puzzle consisting, of a shallow glass-covered receptacle, a free glob- FRANK L. FlTl-IIAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. NOLAN, O. W. BECK. 

